Latch for pruning shears



May 23,Y 1950 R. E. HERR LATCH FOR PRUNING SHEARS Filed 0011. 29. 1947 INVENTOR. P/cbard E Her/f.'

. l rra/e/v-sx Patented May 23,

UNI TED rSYI'AT'S PATENT 0 FF ICE '508,790 LA'roii FOR PRUNiNdsInzARs '-ARichard-VEfHerr, Alliance, Ohio, assignorto 'IKhe Lewis ,V Engineering and Manufacturing V(lompa'n'y,`Alliance, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application otbr 29, 1947,r serial No. 782,841 '-2 claims. (cl. A2o-ns1) This invention relates generally lto Apruning shears and more particularly to ia latch for holding the pruningshears in closed position.

The principal obj ect of the'invention' is the p'ro'- vision of a latch for apruning shear.

A further objectof the invention is theprovision of alatch cooperating -in faction with `a reciprocal portion of a pruning shear.

A Vstill vfurther object of the invention is the combination of a, pruning shear having a pivoted jaw member, a portion of Which-is reciprocally mounted with respect to a handle portion of the pruning shear and a latch member mounted on the said handle portion and engaging the said reciprocally mounted 'jaw portion so as to hold the same against reciprocal motion. ,A

A still further object `rof Vthe invention isvthe provision of alatch for ajpruning shear cornprising a simple manually operated latch, a portion of which engages a slidableportionof the said pruning "shear so as `to hold the pruning shear in closed position.

The latch disclosed herein advantageously employs the reciprocally mounted jaw portion of the pruning shear disclosed in the aforesaid patent application to achieve a satisfactory and efficient latching action. The latch is capable of being inexpensively formed and easily assembled in the pruning shear and has the additional advantage of acting in a cam-like engagement with the said reciprocating portion of the pruning shear to effect a satisfactory latching action with respect thereto.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made Within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pruning shear with a. reciprocal jaw portion showing the latch in unlatched position.

Figure 2 is a side view of a pruning shear having a reciprocally mounted jaw portion showing the latch in latched position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

By referring to the drawings and Figures 1 and 2 in particular it Will be seen that a pruning shear has been illustrated Which comprises a pair of handles I9 and II which are bifureated at their foremost ends and pivoted to one-another by means of a pivot I2. The bifureated'foremost Yend of the handle 'II carries-a, blade :I3 and the bifurcated foremost Aend of the handle IU comprises a pair of spaced support members having a pivot lil-positioned transversely therebetween and supporting, in pivotal relation thereto, a foremost end of a reciprocal jaw I5.` The rearmost portion of the reciprocal jaw I5 extends backwardly with respect to the pivot Hand lies within the bifurcated handle I I where itslidably engages a secondary pivot I. Engagement is made withthe secondary fpivot I6 by reason of a slot Il formed longitudinally in the reciprocal jaw l5.

In operation, the movement of theh'andlesl and AI I to yopen position is accomplished 'by a spring (not shown) incorporated in the'handle'l' and engagingay portion of the "handle I l, 'it' being observed that when the handles IQ and IIv are moved apart, Athe :secondary 'pivot I6 moves away from the handle I0 and hence pivots the reciprocal jaw I5 on the pivot M as the reciprocal jaw I5 moves backwardly with respect to the handle i I and the secondary pivot I6 therein.

When the pruning shear is closed, as by manual actuation as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the reciprocal jaw I5 moves forward with respect to the handle II and secondary pivot I6 so that the rearmost end portion thereof, which is rounded, moves into position adjacent the pivot IB where it may .be engaged by a latch I8 and more particularly by a depending nger I9 formed on the latch I8 and movably engaging an arcuate slot 29 formed in one of the bifurcated sections of the handle II in a radius based on the secondary pivot I6 and corresponding approximately with the rounded end section of the reciprocal jaw I5.

It will thus be seen that the depending linger I9 moves into engagement with the rearrnost end of the reciprocal jaw I5 and thereby prevents the same from moving backwardly and thus prevents the pruning shear from being opened.

The latch I8 has a handle 2| formed thereon radially spaced with respect to the depending linger I9 and provided to permit convenient manual operation of the latch I8. The handle 2| lies on the same longitudinal plane as the handle II and extends sidewardly with respect thereto only in the amount of its own width and thereby forms a neat and convenient latch incapable of being accidentally actuated. The latch 2| is rotatably mounted on the secondary pivot I6 which is primarily provided for carrying the rearmost end of the reciprocating jaw I5. The latch I8 thereby comprises an inexpensive construction in that only a single part is added to the shear structure.

By referring to Figure 3 of the drawings an enlarged vertical cross section, as taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, may be seen. It will be observed that the depending nger I9 of the latch I8 is bent at right angles with respect to the plane of the remainder of the latch I8 and 4particularly the handle portion 2| thereof so that it engages the slot 26 and lies beneath the reciprocal jaw I5 when the pruning shears are in open position, as shown in Figure 1, and may be moved into position immediately behind the rearmost end of the reciprocal jaw I5 when the pruning shears are in closed position, as shown in Figure 2. The secondary pivot I6, as illustrated in Figure 3, comprises a two-part screw assembly, one -portion of which is hollow and receives the other -portion as clearly shown in Figure 3.

Still referring to Figure 3 of the drawings it will be seen that a spring washer is positioned Ibetween the two part screw assembly comprising the secondary pivot I6 and the handle Il of the pruning shear so that spring tension may be maintained by the `two part screw assembly on the latch I8 so as to hold it against accidental movement into locked position at such time as the pruning shear is held in an upright position.

It will be seen that the depending nger I9 of the latch I8 moves against the rearmost end portion of the jaw I5 in a cam-like action at such time as the same is moved with respect thereto thereby moving the reciprocating jaw I5 into foremost position and thus effectively locking the pruning shear in closed position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a pruning shear the combination of a pair of handle members crossed and pivoted at their point of crossing and one of the said handle members having a jaw portion pivoted thereto, the said jaw portion lying partly within the other of the said handle members and slidably engaging a secondary pivot therein; and a latch member rotatably mounted on the said secondary pivot, an arcuate slot in the last mentioned handle member, a portion lofthe latch registering with said arcuate slot and with the innermost end of the reciprocal jaw when the pruning shears are in closed position.

2. A latch for a pruning shear having a pair of handles crossed and pivoted to one another and a jaw portion pivoted to one of the said handles and lying within the other ci the said handles, the said jaw portion having a longitudinally extending slot therein and a secondary pivot in the last mentioned handle engaging the .said longitudinal slot, an arcuate slot in the last mentioned handle adjacent the said secondary pivot and a latch rotatably mounted on said secondary pivot, and a portion of the said latch projecting at degrees to the remainder thereof and extending through the said arcuate slot for registry with the end of the said jaw when the jaw is in foremost position and with the bottom of the said jaw when the same is in rearmost position.

RICHARD E. HERR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 27, 1936 

